Gluing a case together, hot glue or polyester resin?

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:16 pm

Okay, I want this to preferably live thru quite some things.

So I am asking you here;

Polyester resin or hotglue?

I got both, which holds better, what are dis- and advantages?

I could also always go for duct tape

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:56 pm

Resin.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:03 am

I used hot glue on my project, as you see it is really strong.

Make sure you use screws and screw posts to get your system open again; no point sealing it and then being unable to open it when you need to.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:35 pm

I vote for 2-part epoxy >_>

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:44 pm

I suggest using screws, screw posts, and epoxy for structural stuff, but if it's just for holding things in place then hot glue all the way.

It doesn't matter how sure you are of something, inevitably you're going to have to pull up the glue to relocate it.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:59 pm

Let me elaborate: 2-part marine epoxy.

One part is resin, and the other hardener, so I'm assuming it's basically the same thing. Tough as rock, and only breaks if you pull hard. However it's brittle. Although it's hard enough that it would only crack if dropped from a height or hit by an equivalent force. On the other hand, hot glue will bend and remain glued to the surfaces, but won't provide good structural support (because it can bend).

vomitsaw · Post by **vomitsaw** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:39 pm

This depends on what type of material you're using, but for general plastic-to-plastic bonding, "plastic welder" epoxy gets my vote for sure. It dries an ugly cream color though. There's also your standard 2-ton epoxy that dries clear, and it's pretty darn strong, but lack that certain "holy crap!" strength that the plastic welder has. (Comes in a black syringe).

Hot glue...

Please, for the sake of the future of all mankind, don't use hot glue to hold your case together. Pinning down loose wires and other various components INSIDE the case? Fine. But holding the casing itself together? Oh hell no.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 1:47 am

well polyester resin (2 part too) is basicially epoxy. Only weaker, but still strong. Bondo uses that, I believe.